The Ministry of Education and Culture is planning a competition to create a territorial song and dress for the Virgin Islands, according to Government Information Services.
The two-month contest, which is to start early next year, will be spearheaded by an ad-hoc committee led by Eileene Parsons, a former culture minister.
“The creation of a territorial song and dress that embodies who we are as a people, will serve to infuse Virgin Islands pride and provide a greater sense of identity,” said Education and Culture Minister Myron Walwyn.
A similar process started in 2005, according to Mr. Walwyn.
“This new process will allow for entries from a wider base and give previous submissions the opportunity to redefine and submit their work,” he said.
Ms. Parsons said, “It is time for us as a people to begin to know who we are by our cultural folkways. This includes a territorial song and a territorial dress.”
After entries are collected, the ministry will seek public participation in choosing a winner, according to GIS.